Mail-pouch



(No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 1. J. A. MILLER. MAIL POUCH;

No. 459,761. Patented Sept. 22, 1891 :flllllllll I I (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

.J. A. MILLER.

MAIL POUCH.

No. 459,761. Patented Sept. 22, 189-1.

UNITED STATES PATENT QF ICE.

JAMES A. MILLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-POUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,761, dated September 22, 1891.

Application filed November 25,1890. Serial No. 372,640. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES AFMILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Pouches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partthereof,'in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the upper end of a mail-pouch with the fastening devices appliedthereto and locked. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper end of a mailpouch, showing the fastening-straps withdrawn from engagement to unlock or open the pouch. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the upper end of a mail-pouch with the fastening-straps removed and the guard-flap raised. Fig.4 is an inside View of the upper end of the rear part of a mail-pouch, showing the locking-staples. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the intermediate flap for the rear part or side of the pouch. Fig. 6 is a central cross-section through the upper end of the mail-pouch, with the fastening devices in position. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the looking or fastening straps. Fig. 8 is a detail showing the attachment of the locking-staple to the rear flap.

It is a necessary requisite for a fastening device for mail-pouches that such devices shall be effective in looking the pouch against ready opening and at the same time have the devices so constructed that they may be readily unlocked and released to open the pouch; and it is to attain these ends of a secure fastening and at the same time a quick opening of the pouch that constitutes the main feature and object of the invention; and the nature of the invention consists in the several parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims as new.

In the drawings, A represents one of the looking or fastening straps, and A its coinpanion strap. These sliding straps are both made of heavy leather or other flexible material that will bend to allow the upper end of the pouch to be flexible, and each strap has at one end a head a for withdrawing the strap from the locking-staples.

B is a locking-staple attached to the strap A by a plate I) and suitable rivets or in any suitable manner to have the staple B adjacent to the lower edge of the strap A, and B is a locking-staple attached to the strap A by a plate 1) and suitable rivets or in any other firm manner and so as to have the staple 13' adjacent to the upper edge of the strap A.

O'are retaining-staples for the sliding strap A, attaching such strap to the front of the pouch, two staples being used in the construction shown, and each staple O is attached to a stiffening-plate c on the front outer face of the upper end of the pouch, and C are similar retaining-staples for the sliding strap A, attaching such strap to the front of the pouch, two staples being used in the construction shown, each staple having a stiffening-plate c on the front outer face of the upper end of the pouch, and each strap A and A has a stop-pin c, the ends of which project on both sides of the straps, so as to engage, respectively, with the staples G and C and limit the movement of each strap in either direction, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

D is the receiving or looking staple for one end of the pouch, coacting with the strap A,and this staple passes through plates don the front part of the pouch and on the intermediate flaps of the pouch, and is attached to theinner face of the rear side of the pouch at the upper end, and the plates d, through which the staple D passes, are each provided with a slot cl for the passage of the staple, which slot, when the pouch is closed, are in line one with the other. i

E is the receiving or looking staple for the opposite end of the pouch to that of the staple D, and this staple is also fastened to the inner face of the rear part of the upper end of the pouch and passes through slots 6 in a series of plates 6, a plate c being attached to the front face of the upper end of the pouch and to the intermediate flaps of the pouch.

F is a center locking-staple, coacting with the locking-staples B and B and coming between the staples B and B when the pouch is closed, and this staple F is also attached to the inner face of the rear part of the pouch and passes through slots f in a series of platesf, a plate fbeing attached to the front face of the upper end of the pouch and to the intermediate flaps. The staples D, E, and F are attached to or have a stiffeningplate g on the inner face of the rear part of the pouch at the upper end, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the staples I) and E are vertical and the staple F is horizontal. The plates (1, c, and fact as guards and protection-plates for the insertion and withdrawal of the staples I), E, and F, and the plates d, e, andf, with their slots (1, e, and f for the front of the pouch, are shown in Fig. 3, as are also the corresponding plates for the guard-flap of the pouch, which is a part of the front of the pouch, and these plates are attached so as to have the slots (1 c vertical and in line with the staples D and E, and the slotf horizontal and in line with the staple F. The plates for the intermediate flap, joined to the rear part of the pouch, are shown in Fig. 5, and these plates (1, e, and f are attached to the flap, so as to have the slots (1 and 6 stand vertical and in line with the slots of the com panion plates (Z and e and the staples D and E, and to have the slotf of the platefst'and horizontal and in line with the companion plates f and the staple F.

G is the rear part of the pouch, to which the staples D, E, and F are attached by rivets, caps, or plates, as shown for the staple F in Fig. 8, or in any other suitable manner.

H is the intermediate flap joined to the rear part G. I is the guard-flap joined to the front part of the pouch. J is the front part of the pouch. These parts, when the pouch is closed, have the flap I overlapping the flap H and the part J outside of the flap H and the part G outside of the flap I, so that no access can be had to the pouch in the opening between the two parts, except when the flap Iis withdrawn and turned back or up, so as to leave the flap II clear.

K is a padlock of the ordinaryconstruction, for use in mail-pouches.

L is a tag of leather or other suitable material for holding the ring L, by which the pouch can be drawn around, and the pouch on the front J and I is provided with eyes 7t for hanging the pouch up in use forreceiving mail.

The pouch is closed by turning the flap I over the flap II, bringing the slots (1, e, and f in line and then inserting the staples D, E, and F through the slots (1, c, and f, respectively, and forcing the strap A forward to have its end enter the staple D and forcing the strap A forward to have its end enter the staple E, and such advance of the straps A and A brings the staple B and 13 in line with and on opposite sides of the staple F, so that the hasp of the lock K can be passed through the staples B, B, and F, and when the hasp is in place and locked the straps A and A are locked against Withdrawal from the staples D and E, thus effect-ually locking the pouch.

The pouch is opened by unlocking the hasp of the lock K and withdrawing the hasp from the staples B, B, and F, releasing such staples so as to allow the strap A to be Withdrawn from its engagement with the staple D, and the strap A to be withdrawn from the staple E into the position shown in Fig. 2, re leasing the staples from their look by the straps, so that the staples D, E, and F can be withdrawn from their slots d, c, andf,which releases the flap I, so that such flap can be withdrawn and turned up to enable access to be had to the interior of the pouch.

The pouch is to be opened and hung up as usual in the use of mail-pouches for receiving mail, and when the mail has been placed in the pouch it is released from the holdingup hooks, the flap I turned over the [lap H, the staples D, E, and F inserted, and the straps A and A advanced to engage the staples D and E, and the lock K applied to the hasps B, B, and F, thus closing and locking the pouch.

The straps A and A, with the staples D, E, and F, furnish a quick and ready means for locking the pouch, as all that is required is to turn the flap I over, insert the staples, and advance the straps, and these straps with the locking-staples furnish a ready and quick means for opening the pouch, as all that is required is to release the lock K, withdraw the straps A and A, and withdraw the staples D, E, and F, which releases the flap I. The straps A and A are sufiiciently flexible, so as not to interfere with the proper handling of the pouch, and at the same time are rigid and firm when engaged with their coacting staples, so as to efiectually fasten the pouch,and inasmuch as the movement of the straps A and A is limited to release them from engagement with the staples D and E, no time is lost either in fastening or unfastening the pouch, thereby enabling the locking and unlocking to be quickly and readily performed.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a mail-pouch fastening, of two flexible straps sliding in opposite directions and each having an outwardly-projecting locking-staple, retaining-staples carrying the sliding straps, and a receiving-staple for the end of each strap, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination, in a mail-pouch fasten ing, of two flexible straps sliding in opposite directions, each having an outwardly-projecting locking-staple, retaining-staples carrying the two straps, receiving-staples one for the end of each strap, and a center staple coacting with the locking-staple, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination,in a mail-pouch fastening, of two flexible straps sliding in opposite directions, each having an outwardly-projecting locking-staple, retaining-staples carrying the two straps, and stop-pins for limiting the movement of the straps in either direction, substantiallyas and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination, in a mail-pouch fastening, of two straps sliding in opposite directions, each having alocking-staple,retainingstaples carrying the sliding straps and attaching the straps to the front of the pouch, receiving-staples, one for the end of each sliding strap and attached to the rear part of the pouch, slots for the passage of the end-receiving staples, a center locking-staple coacting with the locking-staples of the sliding straps and attached to the rear part of the pouch, and slots for the passage of this center locking-staple, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In combination with a mail-pouch, the flexible sliding straps A and A, locking-staples B and B, one for each sliding strap and projecting outwardly from its strap, and retaining-staples O and 0, attached to the front of the pouch carrying the sliding straps A and A, in combination with the staples D and E, receiving the outer ends of the sliding straps A and A, and the center locking-staple F, coacting with the locking-staples B and B, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. In combination with a mail-pouch, the flexible sliding straps A and A, locking-staples B and B, one for each sliding strap A and A and projecting outwardly from its strap, and retaining-staples O and 0', attached to the front of the pouch and carrying the sliding straps A and A, in combination with the end-locking staple D and slots d for the passage of the staple D, end-locking staple E and the slots e for the passage of the staple E, center locking-staple F, and slots f for the passage of the locking-staple F, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

7. In combination with a mail-pouch, the sliding straps A and'A, locking-staples B and B one for each sliding strap and projecting outwardly from its strap, retaining-staples C and O, carrying the sliding straps A and A, receiving-staples D and E for the outer end of the sliding straps, and locking-staple F, co.-

acting with the locking-staples B and B, in combination with the rear flap Gr, having the staples D, E, and F thereto attached, the intermediate flap I-I, joined to the flap G, intermediate .fiap I overlapping the flap H and front J of the pouch, having the flap I joined thereto, and each flap H, I, and J having slots d, e, and f for the passage of the staples D, E, and F and closing and locking the mouth of a'ponch, substantially as specified.

JAMES A. MILLER. Witnesses:

0. WV. BOND, B. A. PRICE. 

